[Sidenote: CUTHRED.]
After the decease of Ethelard king of Westsaxons, his coosine
Cuthred was made king and gouernour of those people, reigning the
tearme of 16 yéeres. He began his reigne in the yeere of our Lord
[Sidenote: 740.]
740, in the twentie fourth yere of the emperour Leo Isaurus, in the
14 yéere of the reigne of the second Theodorus Cala K. of France, and
about the 6 yéere of Ethfine king of Scots. This Cuthred had much to
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._ _Hen. Hunt._]
doo against Edilbald king of Mercia, who one while with stirring
his owne subiects the Westsaxons to rebellion, an other while with
open warre, and sometime by secret craft and subtill practises sought
to disquiet him. Howbeit, in the fourth yeere of his reigne, a peace
was concluded betwixt them, and then ioining their powers togither,
they went against the Welshmen, & gaue them a great ouerthrow, as
[Sidenote: Kenric the kings sonne slaine.]
before is partlie touched. In the 9 yeere of this Cuthreds reigne,
his sonne Kenric was slaine in a seditious tumult amongst his men of
warre, a gentleman yoong in yeeres, but of a stout courage, and
[Sidenote: 749.]
verie forward, wherby (as was thought) he came the sooner to his
wofull end.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: 751.]
In the 11 yeere of his reigne, Cuthred had wars against one of his
earls called Adelme, who raising a commotion against him, aduentured
to giue battell though he had the smaller number of men, and yet was
at point to haue gone away with victorie, if by a wound at that
instant receiued, his periurie had not béene punished, and the kings
[Sidenote: 752 _Matt. West._]
iust cause aduanced to triumph ouer his aduersarie, whom yet by
way of reconciliation he pardoned. In the 13 yeere of his reigne,
king Cuthred being not well able to susteine the proud exactions
and hard dooings of Edilbald king of Mercia, raised his power, and
encountered with the same Edilbald at Hereford, hauing before him the
said earle Adelme, in whose valiant prowesse he put great hope to
atteine victorie: neither was he deceiued, for by the stout conduct
and noble courage of the said Adelme, the loftie pride of king
[Sidenote: K. Edilbald put to flight.]
Edelbald was abated, so that he was there put to flight, and all
his armie discomfited, after sore and terrible fight continued and
mainteined euen to the vttermost point. In the 24 yeere of his reigne,
this Cuthred fought eftsoones with the Welshmen, and obteined the
vpper hand, without anie great losse of his people: for the enimies
were easilie put to flight and chased, to their owne destruction. In
the yeere after, king Cuthred fell sicke, and in the 16 yéere of his
reigne he departed this life, after so manie great victories got
against his enimies.
[Sidenote: SIGIBERT. 755.]
After him succéeded one Sigibert, a cruell and vnmercifull prince
at home, but yet a coward abroad. This Sigbert or Sigibert began his
reigne in the yeare of our Lord 755, verie néere ended. He intreated
his subjects verie euill, setting law and reason at naught. He could
not abide to heare his faults told him, and therefore he cruellie
put to death an earle named Cumbra, which was of his councell, and
faithfullie admonished him to reforme his euill dooings: wherevpon
the rest of his nobles assembled themselues togither with a great
multitude of people, and expelled him out of his estate in the
beginning of the second, or (as some say) the first yeare of his
reigne. Then Sigibert, as he was fearefull of nature; fearing to be
apprehended, got him into the wood called as then Andredeswald, and
there hid himselfe, but by chance a swineheard that belonged to the
late earle Cumbra at Priuets-floud found him out, and perceiuing what
he was, slue him in reuenge of his maisters death.
¶ Lo here you may sée how the righteous iustice of God rewardeth
wicked dooings in this world with worthie recompense, as well as in
the world to come, appointing euill princes sometimes to reigne for
the punishment of the people, according as they deserue, permitting
some of them to haue gouernement a long time, that both the froward
nations may suffer long for their sins, and that such wicked princes
may in an other world tast the more bitter torments. Againe, other
he taketh out of the waie, that the people may be deliuered from
oppression, and also that the naughtie ruler for his misdemeanour may
spéedilie receiue due punishment.
[Sidenote: Ethelred. 738.]
After Beorne king of Eastangles one Ethelred succéeded in gouernment
of that kingdome a man noted to be of good and vertuous qualities,
in that he brought vp his sonne Ethelred (which succéeded him) so in
the feare of the Lord, that he prooued a right godlie prince. This
Ethelbert reigned (as writers say) the terme of 52 yeares.
[Sidenote: Egbert king of Northumberland. 758.]
After that Ceolvulfe king of Northumberland was become a moonke in
the abbie of Lindesferne, his vncles sonne Egbert (by order taken by
the said Ceolvulfe) succeeded him in the kingdome, and gouerned the
same right woorthilie for the terme of 24 yeares, and then became a
moonke, by the example both of his predecessor the forsaid Ceolvulfe,
[Sidenote: Changing of crownes for moonkes cowles. 756.]
and also of diuers other kings in those daies, so that he was the
eight king who in this land had changed a kings crowne for a moonks
cowle (as Simon Dunel. writeth.)
This Egbert (in the 18 yeare of his reigne) and Vngust king of Picts
came to the citie of Alcluid with their armies, and there receiued the
Britains into their subiection, the first-day of August: but the tenth
day of the same month, the armie which he led from Ouan vnto Newbourgh,
was for the more part lost and destroied. ¶ The same yeare on the 8
kalends of December, the moone being as then in hir full, appeared to be
of a bloudie colour, but at length she came to hir accustomed shew,
after a maruellous meanes, for a starre which followed hir, passed by
hir, & went before hir, the like dist[=a]ce as it kept in following hir
before she lost hir vsuall light.
* * * * *
_Offa king of Mercia, his manhood and victories against the Kentishmen
and Westsaxons, he killeth Egilbert king of Eastangles by a policie
or subtill deuise of profered curtesie, he inuadeth his kingdome,
and possesseth it, the archbishops see of Canturburie remoued to
Lichfield; archbishop Lambert laboring to defend his prerogatiue is
depriued by king Offa, he seizeth vpon churches and religious houses;
mistrusting his estate, he alieth himselfe with other princes; he
maketh amends for the wrongs that he had doone to churches and
religious houses, he goeth to Rome, maketh his realme tributarie to
the said see, Peter pence paid, he falleth sicke and dieth, places to
this day bearing his name in memorie of him, the short reigne of his
sonne._